Art lesson at Castle sparks a political protest alert

PUPILS drawing at Edinburgh Castle esplanade were stopped because officials thought they were holding a political demonstration.

Pupils on a school trip from Dunfermline High School were doing chalk drawings on the esplanade when they were spotted by Historic Scotland staff who called police.

The tour last Tuesday was for students from four European countries who were visiting the school as part of a three-year exchange program.

They were seen to be carrying flags and police were called to the scene when Historic Scotland employees assumed they were staging a demonstration ahead of the visit by Prince Harry the following day.

A police spokeswoman said: "Police were called to the Castle Esplanade after a report that a political demonstration was taking place.

"Upon arrival, officers ascertained that the group were children on a visit to the Castle who were drawing on the ground with chalk. They were stopped from doing so by police but the matter is being dealt with by the school."

Yesterday the Castle had a visit from the members of boyband Boyzone, who dropped in to promote their forthcoming Castle concert on Friday, July 18.